There is a reason I’m married to Mr Greedy – apart from the love thing of course – because he is the perfect man for the job. Take our visit, accompanied by another couple, to Cote Brasserie, the new restaurant on George Street.

He was the life and soul of the party in the pub beforehand, on the train there and on the walk into Oxford. But as soon as we sat down, he went silent. Why? Because he was so busy studying the menu it was as if the world had stopped. Not on my behalf, you understand, but because he loves food so much. It’s a meeting of stomachs.

I, on the other hand, was as interested in the refurb job, and checking out the interior, as I was about the food.

Because it’s strange to sit in the same restaurant shell as Caffe Uno and then Chez Gerard, but with a new name, a slightly different colour on the walls and gleaming furniture, like a girlfriend arriving home with a new hairdo. Food-wise though, Cote Brasserie is definitely French, and a welcome addition to this Italian dominated street.

Because with Chez Gerard’s demise, Cafe Rouge and Pierre Victoire way over on Little Clarendon Street, and Brasserie Blanc further on in Jericho, there was a gap in the market.

And we were pleased to see all the classic French favourites on hand from moules to steak frites, sharing a delicious fougasse (leaf shaped bread with parsley and sea salt for £3.95) while we checked out the menu.

To set the scene: the moules marinières (£5.95) were a hit, the prawn gratinee (£7.50 ouch!) was also gorgeous, the tender prawns being nicely seasoned – good and garlicky.

The calamari (£5.95) was plentiful and nicely cooked, no elastic bands here and the endive, walnut and crouton salad (£5.25) with a warm Roquefort cheese dressing was crisp but lacking the usual pear element which balances out the acidity of the cheese with the sweetness of the fruit.

The next course was less successful though, the beef bourguignon (£13.95) being ordered solely as a test which it failed dismally; the casserole arriving with barely any sauce, which we then had to order on the side to try to moisten it up a bit. “

It has all the right ingredients, but lacks any depth of flavour and the potato and chive purée is totally unremarkable,” my friend explained, “which is a real shame because I can do better at home.” The baked crépes (£8.75) with mushrooms, spinach and gruyère cheese suffered from a similar fate, with not enough sauce to go round, even though the pancakes themselves were delicious.

The men fared better, the 10oz rib eye steak (£14.95) and frites being too big even for Mr Greedy to finish and the duck confit (£10.95) won best dish and came with a spectacular potato gratin.

And so it went on, this hit-and-miss approach, the praline crepes were too tough, the dark chocolate mousse, was more like a milk chocolate mousse with cocoa on the top, while the crème caramel (£4.50) was so good it was worth a revisit all on its own.

And as we left and headed home, we weighed up the pros and cons, and decided that although it was central, comforting and convivial, Cote Brasserie may be too haphazard for a revisit. Put it this way, will Raymond Blanc be quaking in his boots? No.